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| A prototype of Samsung Electronics' "The Wall" MicroLED TV is seen in this file photo. Courtesy of Samsung Electronics |
By Kim Yoo-chul
After unveiling its new MicroLED TV technology at CES 2018, Samsung could now be ready to release the first commercial sets in the third quarter of the year.
"As planned, Samsung Electronics will release TV sets in the latter half of the year. These will be TVs using MicroLED technology. We are aiming to debut them, commercially, in the third quarter at the earliest," a senior company executive said Monday.
The news comes after Samsung's first quarter TV sales declined in terms of revenue year-on-year. But company officials and market analysts say the release of the high-end TVs using the next-generation display technology will help Samsung continue its lead over rivals in the premium TV segment.
Data from IHS Markit showed Samsung was the top selling TV brand in the large-screen segment with display sizes going over 65 inches or more in the first quarter of 2018. Samsung's share in that category was 39.4 percent in terms of revenue.
The executive, who is directly involved with Samsung's TV business strategies, said the company would also be able to work "flexibly" with key customers on screen size, which will vary, because of the cost-effective and stylish modular design of its MicroLED panels.
What sizes and how much they will cost still remain unclear. One type of the TV due out later this year will have an 88-inch display with Samsung Display and Samsung Electro-Mechanics supplying parts.
"As Samsung is increasingly asked to explore and navigate new opportunities amid flattening demand for premium TVs from general consumers, what we have to do is to make MicroLED TVs successful and to have them with enhanced features for corporate and non-consumer clients," said the executive.
Samsung plans to market them as a premium products in the United States and the Middle East, and as a "potential replacement" for computer projectors.
MicroLED TVs are modular, with screens being made up of conjoined smaller panels. As LEDs used in MicroLED TVs are below 1 millimeter in size, Samsung officials say its in-house technology is good enough to manufacture "larger-than-expected" screens.
Unlike conventional liquid crystal display (LCD) and even OLED screens, MicoLED displays don't need bulky backlights and to rely on color filters as they use elements which can emit red, green and blue light _ the core and base colors. MicroLED displays are believed to have an advantage in brightness, contrast ratio and wider viewing angles than others.
But low production is the main issue Samsung needs to tackle for a lead in the field, as manufacturing a MicoLED with one subpixel produced at a time is "very challenging."
LG, for example, could produce a single OLED display packed with millions of subpixels at once, making the screen have outstanding picture quality. Manufacturing is therefore, undoubtedly, the most important OLED advantage, which experts say will last over the next five years.
The executive declined to comment on whether its "MicroLED initiative" was influenced by Apple, Samsung's love-hate business partner, as the iPhone designer is said to have begun developing its own MicroLED displays.
"Samsung plans to pursue a dual-track approach as we have targeted the premium TV segment by expanding our QLED TV (LED TV using quantum dot technology) lineup with retail price tags varying from 3 million won ($2,800) to 10 million won ($9,300). In the super premium TV segment, we are ready to promote MicroLED TVs with price tags that could reach over 200 million won or about $250,000," the executive said.
Samsung dropped its plan to manufacture OLED TVs as it didn't want to delve into the market initiated by its rival LG. Samsung has been employing OLED screens in smartphones it produces. The "No OLED TV" strategy made Samsung lose its share in the overall TV market as it gained a head start in MicroLED TVs.
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